There’s a French Restaurant Hidden Behind a Painting in New York City

There’s a great meal around every corner in New York City and you can surely find an “experience” to go with your dinner if you look hard enough. A quick Google search for “secret restaurants in NYC” will bring you results like the referral-only Bohemian, the Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien, and the Back Room at Cafe Select. What you won’t find is Frevo. It’s so secret (and new) that the Google Search algorithm hasn’t picked up on it — yet.

You’ll find Frevo in Greenwich Village, lurking behind an art gallery on West 8th Street. To get to your table (and the restaurant itself), you’ll have to pass through the gallery and find a secret door masked as a large painting on display. A clue about the gallery, courtesy of Lonely Planet: the gallery is home to pieces by French painter Toma-L.

The idea for the restaurant comes from Brazilian-born chef Franco Sampogna. He spent most of his career cooking in France, which explains the French connection. For Frevo, he is joined by his business manager and partner, Bernardo Silva.

If you’re lucky enough to find Frevo, you’ll be greeted by a delightfully intimate space. The entire restaurant seats 24 guests: 18 at the chef’s counter and another six at a private chef’s table. Dinner is a five-course tasting menu that rotates seasonally, so count on it being a bit different week-to-week.

In an interview with Lonely Planet, Sampogna shared words on the inspiration for the space: “The idea was to play with guests’ expectations, making the experience start way before the first bite. The idea is to create something that is alive, ‘boiling,’ a space that will constantly evolve like the city.” (Some context: “Fervo” is the French word for “boiling.”)

You can experience this secret restaurant and its appetite-piquing tasting menu for $124; Fervo is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6pm to 11pm.